Israel attacks Sanaa airport as WHO chief was boarding plane

Israel attacked Yemen's main airport in the capital of Sanaa just as the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) was going to depart, after a trip to seek the release of WHO health workers held by the Houthis.

"As we were about to board our flight from Sanaa, about two hours ago, the airport came under aerial bombardment. One of our plane's crew members was injured," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. "At least two people were reported killed at the airport."

"The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge - just a few metres from where we were - and the runway were damaged," he said, adding that he was now waiting for the damaged airport to be repaired before he could depart with WHO staff.

Tedros was in Yemen as part of a mission to seek the release of detained UN staff and assess the health and humanitarian situations in the war-torn country. He said the mission concluded today, and "we continue to call for the detainees' immediate release".

Sanaa airport was struck by "more than six" attacks with raids also targeting the adjacent Al-Dailami air base, a witness in the capital told AFP. A series of strikes were also fired at a power station in Hodeida.

Two people died and 11 were wounded at the capital's airport, and one person was killed and three were missing at Ras Issa port, Houthi statements said.